


Shopping

by MsOuroboros



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Fallout Universe, Gen, Pre-War, Retail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 13:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10923201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsOuroboros/pseuds/MsOuroboros
Summary: The hassle of running errands is enough to make you wish for a nuclear apocalypse.





	Shopping

**Author's Note:**

> First time playing with fan fiction. I wanted to play with the world before the bombs dropped a bit. Feel free to leave feedback, I'm working on my ability to write dialogue.
> 
> Inspired by: the massive inflation that happened in the fallout world, the fact that I repeated was killed by Protectrons in Fallout3 before I realized I needed a ticket to be in the subway, and a real life experience while grocery shopping.

Nora leaned against the Back to School display of lunch boxes. Three o'clock on a Tuesday, and the Super Duper Mart had only one cashier, a beleaguered woman caught dealing with a elderly man. Two people ahead of her in line, and at least as many behind, stretching back through the store. Shaun, three weeks old, had kept her awake most of the night, crying as she took turns with Nate and Codsworth comforting the colicky baby who just wouldn't stop crying. At home, a hot shower and a nap waited for her, if this line would just move.

"The sign by the Sugarbombs said they were three for $90!" "Sir, it's not in the register, or the flyer and...." "THE SIGN SAID IT." Nora closed her eyes and tried to filter it out

"Nora? Is that YOU?" came a high pitched voice from the right. She jolted back to reality just as a cart grazed her. "It's been FOREVER. Oh my god is that the BABY?" The bleach blonde was poking fingers into Shaun's face before Nora could react. She knew this woman, but from where? "Gitchie gitchie!" Cooed the woman, poking Shaun's tummy. "Ooooh, you are a cute one, what's your name?"

"Shaun." Said Nora, trying to remember the blonde's name.

"Don! Oh, my grandfather was a Donald. Ooh, you're going to grow up and be a big strong one, ooh." She paused from her attention to the baby and angled her cart in behind Nora.

"Excuse me, ma'am!" Piped up the Mr. Handy who had been in line directly behind Nora. "I don't mind socializing, but I must protest if you are jumping the queue..."

"Hush!" Said the woman, checking the cart into the robot. The shopping basket fell from its claw, and cans went rolling. The woman ignored the glares from the shoppers behind in line. "I swear, those buckets need to be reminded of their place sometimes! My sister had one, had to be sent back three times for reprogramming. Uppity, it was, each time."

Nora muttered something and tried to stare straight ahead. At the checkout, the elderly man and cashier had moved onto disagreeing about a coupon. "Sir, this expired in 2067. Cram hasn't cost $5 in years.." 

"I JUST got that coupon in the Bugle last week! You have to honor it, I am a paying customer!"

The blonde wasn't taking the hint, and leaned closer to Nora. "Don't you hate when they use those tin cans for child care? You heard what happened to Rosie Wilkes little one? You know Rosie, she was a Donner before she married Louie Wilkes. They leave those kids with their robot almost every afternoon. Cheaper than a nanny they say. Well, she was taking her oldest for new school clothes down in Boston. They took the subway because Rosie is so finicky about driving since Janet Henderson was in that accident where the fusion core blew. So the boy, he must have dropped his subway token. He always was such a little hellion, couldn't keep still in church. So when one of those walking robots found he had no token it went completely berserk at him. Boy is in Medford now. Rosie had the nerve to try to take up a collection for his bills. I said to her 'Rosie, if you had a better handle on that boy, this would have never happened'. But that's how it is, parents are more than willing to let some flying bowling ball watch their kid than care for them. Anyway, he should be able to drink through a straw soon, so she should be able to take care of him at home before long. It could have been worse."

Shaun had woken up and was starting to fuss, and Nora focused all her attention to the baby, trying to ignore the gossip. The cashier was desperately trying to wave down a supervisor from the back of the store. The elderly man had completely snapped, "Stupid girl! If you can't even count, you shouldn't have a job!"

"Ooh, you fussy little one?" Cooed the blonde, leaning over Nora into the carriage. "Oh, my neighbor Fran has the the crankiest baby. She insists on serving that poor little thing all the vegetables she grew herself. I swear it won't grow. I told her, "Fran, if it wasn't healthy to infuse milk with strontium, why would they do it?', but she won't listen, of course. I swear, she disagrees with everything the HOA discusses!"

A manager had finally wandered to the cashier, who had started crying. "Let me see if I can manually override this coupon for you sir," Nora heard audible sighs from the people in line.

"Why, last year when Vault Tec was surveying in Concord, would you believe she wrote a letter to protest saying it would damage building of 'historic importance'? I read the whole thing, she was in a tizzy just because a few old houses and graves would get disrupted. Oh, of course I was happy when they said the soil was better over in Sanctuary Hills myself. I can't imagine those bulldozers going down the street all day and night. Have you applied for a vault? My sister toured one down in DC, says its like summer camp. Of course, my husband says he can dig a hole in his own yard if he wants to live like a mole."

The elderly man had decided that the coupon being accepted wasn't enough, and started to yell, his face red, slamming his fists into the counter "It's a matter of customer service!" 

The manager was equally red faced "Sir! Lower your voice, or I will have you removed from the store!"

The audible stomps of the activated Protectron echoed through the store, and the queue nervously stepped aside. It hadn't made it halfway to the registers when the elderly man decided to leave, yelling curses as he went.

The cashier waged on the next customer, but her mascara was streaked and she was shaking. The blonde snorted at this "There's a job those uppity bots should have. At least they don't fall apart. Look at how dark her hair is! I wonder if she isn't part Chinaman."

She smiled at the cashier when her turn finally came, trying to be calming, but the girl barely even looked at her, obviously still upset. She took her receipt and the blonde called after her "we need to catch up more Nora! Call me!" Then started berating the cashier for the wait.

Outside, Nora sighed in the breeze and picked Shaun up from his carriage. Next time, she would send Codsworth. It was too much to deal with people sometimes


End file.
